Recipes for Research: A Bit of this, A Bit of That: Recipes & Memories from My Nan's Kitchen

Honouring My Nan: A Cookbook for Memory, Legacy, and Dementia Australia

Impeccably dressed, hair always done, and never seen without lipstick, my Nan Deanna was an absolute icon and force of nature. She was always the life of the party, a musically gifted mouth-organ player, a master storyteller with an infectious laugh, and one of the most surprisingly resilient women I have ever had the privilege to know.

As well as all that, my Nan was a legendary home cook. Whether she was catering big community events like the Old Koreelah Gun Shoot or the Annual SIDS Car Rally, feeding unexpected guests my Pop brought home, or teaching me the basics in her kitchen, her food was known far and wide. She notoriously would never measure a thing—it was always "a little bit of this, and a little bit of that." She even had a habit of fake-coughing in doctor's waiting rooms to "discreetly" tear recipes out of magazines, though it was never quite as discreet as she thought it was!

When I grew up and started sharing my cooking with her, I’d give her that same cheeky grin I'd endured for years when she asked what was in it: "Just a little bit of this, and a little bit of that," would be my reply. But never to be outdone, she would always later ask my mum what my secret recipe was.

Watching dementia take my Nan was one of the hardest things I have ever experienced. Dementia is a cruel disease that takes the memories, skills, and very essence of the people we love most.

Gathering her recipes and stories into my cookbook, A Bit of This, A Bit of That: Recipes & Memories from My Nan's Kitchen, is my way of keeping her vibrant spirit alive. It’s my way of making sure her laughter, her food, and her love continue to nourish others—while helping fund the vital research needed to end dementia for good.

Whether you purchase a copy of Nan’s cookbook or simply leave a contribution here today, every single dollar donated goes directly to Dementia Australia to fund vital research, support services, and education.

Please consider donating—big or small—in memory of my Nan Deanna, or someone else's nan or loved one, so that one day no family has to watch dementia take away the people and memories that mean the most.

Thank you for your generosity and for helping me honour my Nan's incredible legacy.